Welcome!

Welcome to RS Games Ninety-nine, an accessible, online, multiplayer version of the card game Ninety-nine. RS Games Ninety-nine utilizes the RS Games client, which allows players to play against each other from around the world, via the centralized RS Games server.

To get started, you will need the RS Games client installed. TO get the RS Games client if you don't have it already, go to http://www.rsgames.org. connecting and logging into the server are covered in the RS Games client documentation. Alternatively, you can use the web client, from which you can play by using your web browser. The web client can be found in the "Quick Links" section on the RS Games home page.

This document assumes you have read the RS Games client documentation first, for general concepts and instructions on using the client. If you have not read this document, please read it before continuing.

If you are using the web client, options referred to as keyboard commands in this document will appear as buttons on the web page.

The Main Menu

Once you are connected, choose Ninety-nine from the list of games, and you will be presented with the main menu. From there, you can create a new game, join a game, or see a list of existing games. Choose an option using the up and down arrow keys and the enter key, or by clicking on the option if you are using the web client.

Creating a New Game

If you choose to create a new game, you will be asked if you want to make the game private. If you choose yes, you can set a password, and only those who know the password will be able to join.

You will then be asked if you want to change game options. If you choose "Yes," you'll be asked about four different options. You can change the number of tokens each player receives at the start of the game, add Skip cards to the deck, change the number of cards dealt to each player to begin each round, and change the maximum score for the game. You can adjust any or all of these options as you see fit, or leave everything alone.

After you have made your choices, you will be placed in your game. Here, players will be able to join your game.

Bots

Bots are computer players who will play against you if there are no other humans around to play with, or if you want to add more players to your game. If you are the creator of the game, you can press B to add a bot, or R to remove a bot.

Starting The Game

Once you are ready to start the game, press the Enter key.

Joining a Game

To join a game, choose the Join Game option from the main menu. You will be presented with a list of games that are open for players, along with the people playing in each game. Choose a game from the list, and press enter. If the game is private, you will then be asked to enter the password. Once you are in the game, you must wait for the game master to start the game.

Playing Ninety-nine

In Ninety-nine, the game itself has a score, which is kept up to date as cards are played. your objective is to play cards from your hand without allowing the score to exceed a specified number. That number is ninety-nine by default, but can be changed by the game master. If you don't have any playable cards, the round ends immediately, and you lose a token. If you lose your last token, you're eliminated! If you're the last player who still has at least one token, you win!

=Start of Game=startofgame

At the start of the first round, each player is given a certain number of tokens. This is three by default, but can be changed by the game master during game creation. You lose a token if you don't have a playable card, and you are eliminated if you lose your last token.

Starting a Round

At the start of each round, the deck is shuffled, and a certain number of cards are dealt to each player. This is normally three, but can be changed by the game master. The remainder of the deck becomes the draw pile, and an empty discard pile is started. The score is set to zero.

Playing Cards

Once the cards are dealt, each player takes his or her turn playing a card to the discard pile, then drawing a card to replace the card just played. The score is announced after each played card. If the draw pile is exhausted, the discard pile is shuffled and becomes the draw pile, and a new empty discard pile is started.

Play continues until someone doesn't have a playable card. At that point, that player immediately loses the round and gives up a token which may result in elimination, and all the cards are collected in order to be reshuffled to start the next round.

Winning

The last player who still has tokens left after everyone else has been eliminated is the winner.

List of Cards

Following is a list of the cards present in the deck, and what they do.

Number cards 1 through 10 increase the score by their respective amount. For example, if the score is 8 and you play a 6, the score is now 14.

Minus 10 cards subtract 10 from the score. This can cause the score to go negative.

Maximum Score cards cause the score to immediately become the maximum. If the score is already the maximum, the score is unaffected. In a standard game these cards appear as 99, but if the game master has adjusted the maximum score they will appear as that number instead.

Pass cards don't change the score, but simply pass play to the next player in line.

Reverse cards don't change the score, but reverse the order of play.

Skip cards, if present, don't change the score, but cause the next player in line to be skipped. The game master can decide whether Skip cards should be in the deck. In a standard game, they are not.

A number card is playable as long as it doesn't cause the score to go over the maximum. Special cards (Minus 10, 99 or maximum score, Pass, Reverse, and Skip) are always playable.

In Game Keyboard Commands

There are several keyboard commands that can be used to get information about your current game. You can always press Ctrl+H to get a quick reminder of these keystrokes.

S: Announces the score, and how many tokens each player has.
-- T: Find out who's turn it is.

Q: Leave the game.

F1: To get help from admins (works similar to chat.)

F2: Send a chat message to players in the game. If you are in the main menu, this will send a chat message to all players waiting for a game.

F3: Lower the volume of the background music.

F4: Raise the volume of the background music.

F5: Lower the volume of all sounds.

F6: Raise the volume of all sounds.

W: Who's online.

TAB: Get game information such as who's in the current game, who is the game master, and who is the bot.

Chatting

You can chat with other players at any point during game play by pressing the F2 key, typing your message into the input box and pressing enter. You can also chat at the main menu to other players who are not currently in a game, also by pressing F2.

Background music

To change the volume of the background music during the game, use F3 to lower the volume and F4 to raise the volume. You can also adjust the volume of the sound effects with F5 and F6 to lower or raise the volume, respectively.

Transcripts

You can opt to receive a transcript of your game, that is, an email containing the entire text of your game. When you leave a game, you will be asked if you would like to receive a transcript. If you would, choose Yes, and the transcript will be sent to the email address you used when creating your RS Games account. You can also press F11 during the game, rather than wait until you leave the game to decide.

Credits

Thanks to the following people for helping to create Ninety-nine:

Developers: Jayson Smith

Music: Andre Louis

Sound contributors/Designers: Jayson Smith

All of the beta testers

support and Contact Information

If you have any problems using any of the games released by RS Games, or have a question, bug report, suggestion, feature request, or anything else, feel free to contact RS Games by sending an email to rsgames@gmail.com.